Can cats scratch car paint?

You know? when I made this post, I had a genuine curiosity to know if it was possible for a cat to make a claw mark in the paintwork of a car.

I have been reading posts on this site for quite a time now, so I had an idea that I would be attacked as an irresponsible cat owner by some people.

I am puzzled but not surprised at the eagerness of some people to believe that because I say, or because any other person says for that matter, that some one has accused them of some wrong doing or fault, that the accusations must be true.

It makes me sad to have it confirmed that people are so quick to blame and attack, even some one that they don't know, or know anything about.

All that you know about me is that my cat sometimes sits in my front garden, and that my neighbour thinks that my cat is the cat that he saw in his yard, and that a cat, that cat, is responsible for some scratches that he found on his car.

It just isn't logical and it isn't nice.

Quoting: getmeoutofhere

From reading your statements here, it isn't too far a stretch to imagine it could be your cat.

You've also attracted everyone on this site who's had their car scratched by a cat, thus, the source of all the ire.

a cat wouldnt deliberately strop it'sclaws on the metal of a car or vehicle as the cat wouldnt benefit from doing so.. they do dig their clawsinto anything made of wood.

The car owner probably saw your cat lyingon his car ran out yelling and causedthe cat to use its claws to get tractionto get away.. and that is how he wouldknow it was your cat. Left to itselfthe cat would have just gotten off the carwithout using its claws.

cats are easily trained to stop usingtheir claws on anything by just throwing a cup of cold water at them every time...they learn real quick.

It's impossible for the cat to scratch beyond the clear coat.If the car is faded and the clear coat has worn just about down from the sun...then you will have scraches in the paint it's self.If this occurs then the car will need painting.unless you have a lion or tiger..they can't scratch beyond the clear. Most times you can buff these scratches out.They don't need painting..they use a light sandpaper over the marks and then they should just buff out.

I know this because I used to be a sraypainter.There similiar to brushing past some branches that leave marks on the car..the majority just buff out.

It's impossible for the cat to scratch beyond the clear coat.If the car is faded and the clear coat has worn just about down from the sun...then you will have scraches in the paint it's self.If this occurs then the car will need painting.unless you have a lion or tiger..they can't scratch beyond the clear. Most times you can buff these scratches out.They don't need painting..they use a light sandpaper over the marks and then they should just buff out.

I know this because I used to be a sraypainter.There similiar to brushing past some branches that leave marks on the car..the majority just buff out.

It is possible. Dogs are more likely, though, because they jump up and come down...

They also leave little oily paw prints, so I would ask to see what he is talking about. It would have to be VERY faint, and I can only see it happening if the cat were sliding off, and those kind of scratches would obviously tell that story.

I just had he dude over the road come over to my house and complain that my cat scratched the paint work on his car. I am struggling to understand how that could be possible unless he has really crappy paintwork. Cats claws are retractable, and are the same softness/hardness of our finger nails.

I mean, I am sorry if that did happen and if it was my cat, but I am having a hard time believing it. I have lots of timber in my house, and no cat scratches on any of it. I used to have polished floorboards, and never saw a cat scratch there either.

Any thought on this folks?

Quoting: getmeoutofhere

Oh , they can scratch paint , for sure . They can also be kicked square on the fanny .

I just had he dude over the road come over to my house and complain that my cat scratched the paint work on his car. I am struggling to understand how that could be possible unless he has really crappy paintwork. Cats claws are retractable, and are the same softness/hardness of our finger nails.

I mean, I am sorry if that did happen and if it was my cat, but I am having a hard time believing it. I have lots of timber in my house, and no cat scratches on any of it. I used to have polished floorboards, and never saw a cat scratch there either.

Cats can and have scratched car paint....I know from experience. What I don't undertsand is cat owners who think their cats have the right to roam free killing birds, crappin in flower beds, destroying lawn furniture. leaving hair all over the place, etc. Their excuse is "Oh its just their nature." Have some responsibility. That excuse would not work for my dog.

I just had he dude over the road come over to my house and complain that my cat scratched the paint work on his car. I am struggling to understand how that could be possible unless he has really crappy paintwork. Cats claws are retractable, and are the same softness/hardness of our finger nails.

I mean, I am sorry if that did happen and if it was my cat, but I am having a hard time believing it. I have lots of timber in my house, and no cat scratches on any of it. I used to have polished floorboards, and never saw a cat scratch there either.

Any thought on this folks?

Quoting: getmeoutofhere

only if you tie a file to it tail.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1463105

hand him a sheet of 3000 grit and some polish and tell him to harden the fuck up.cats are cats with a mind of their own .nuff said.

tell the douche bag to and leave you alone. unless he has proof that it was your cat that scratched his paint then he needs to go and quit being a baby. could have been a wild animal like a raccoon or something like that. hell half the people cant tell the tracks apart anyways.

Well they should bring them in not allows them to walk around in the night on other peoples properties causing mischief.I had a cat once and always brang him in.If you've ever been woken up at 4am from a cat fight you'd know what im talking about.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 2724990

Good luck trying that with a nocturnal hunter.

Quoting: Open Eyes

Nocturnal hunter destroys wildlife and it doesn't need to because it get fed, keep it the fuck inside or don't have it.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 2724990

The point I was trying to make here was, cats have a mind of there own and if it decides to wander, it can be exceedingly difficult to find it or encourage it to come inside. Our fat cat is a homebody which is fine but our other cat is a hunter no matter what we feed her. I cannot change a cat's instincts. I can manage them as best I can as I really don't like finding her gifts of small animals but thats it. get over it.

I was wondering if it was a possum and he saw the scratches after he chased my cat off the hood of the car? if the cat went there that is. The guy lives next door to a vacant lot filled with knee high grass and weeds, with a couple of trees. Lots of cats in the neighbourhood do get attracted to that lot because it is a haven for rats, mice, snakes and other critters. I have seen lots of cats hunting on the lot next door to him, which is opposite from my place.

My two cats mostly do spend the nights inside the home. Sometimes I cannot get them to come inside before I lock up but not too often.

As well as rats, mice, snakes, and possums we also have goannas around. My cats are 'working' animals whose 'job' it is to keep the rat and mouse population down. I, as do many other neighbours, keep chickens, and chickens attract rats and mice who come for the grain.

I have apologised to the guy provisionally "well if that was my cat I am I truly sorry that that happened" and I am making a bigger effort to get the cats inside before night fall.

I will look into getting my yard fence heightened though, to keep the cats on my property. At least my yard will have some vermin control happening.

I have a lifted Suburban. Beautiful paint job. I found cat scratches going down the fender. Obviously, a cat tried to jump on the hood, it was too high and the cat tried holding on. Oh well, what are you gonna do? Besides buff it out.

The cat would have to be startled and feel cornered for it to claw the paint as it ran away. Even so, it wouldn't be able to scratch past the clear coat which can be buffed smooth again by a professional. No worries.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 3050814

cats love the warmth of the hood after the car has been driven. and yes they use those damn nails to try and keep them in the warm spot on that expensive, slippery paint job. I am going to sue.

The cat would have to be startled and feel cornered for it to claw the paint as it ran away. Even so, it wouldn't be able to scratch past the clear coat which can be buffed smooth again by a professional. No worries.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 3050814

cats love the warmth of the hood after the car has been driven. and yes they use those damn nails to try and keep them in the warm spot on that expensive, slippery paint job. I am going to sue.

Well they should bring them in not allows them to walk around in the night on other peoples properties causing mischief.I had a cat once and always brang him in.If you've ever been woken up at 4am from a cat fight you'd know what im talking about.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 2724990

Good luck trying that with a nocturnal hunter.

Quoting: Open Eyes

Nocturnal hunter destroys wildlife and it doesn't need to because it get fed, keep it the fuck inside or don't have it.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 2724990

The point I was trying to make here was, cats have a mind of there own and if it decides to wander, it can be exceedingly difficult to find it or encourage it to come inside. Our fat cat is a homebody which is fine but our other cat is a hunter no matter what we feed her. I cannot change a cat's instincts. I can manage them as best I can as I really don't like finding her gifts of small animals but thats it. get over it.[/quote

well just dont get mad when I shoot your precious pet with my beebee gun while it is defacing my property. I have more legal rights to shoot a person walking on to my property than I have against vermin destroying it!?! its a crazy world that we live in

Gee, I hope your neighbor never follows a semi or a gravel truck.Never parks in a shopping center, gets stuck in a hail storm,has a bird crap on the hood, drives thru a sand storm, hits a big bug, hand washes it or takes his "work ute" out of the garage. Oh..wait.. he doesn't have a garage.

If your neighbor was that "proud" of his vehicle, it wouldn't bea work truck, he'd have a garage and there would be a POS work vehicle.

I have scratches on the hood of my SUV, and my cat did it. She was trying to jump on the hood and couldn't quite make it, so she used her claws to try and hold on. she has done this several times, so I now have a bunch of little scratches. I can probably buff them out; however, if it were someone else's cat that had done this, I would be upset. I'm just saying cats can definitely scratch the paint on an automoble.

yesterday I waxed my brand new car to find out later on some paw prints on the hood. Also some scratches under the prints... apparently the cat had problems to hold itself on the waxed surface... I'M EXTREMELY IRRITATED!

My neighbors cats have DESTROYED the paint on my BMW convertable. I tried a car cover, nails went through it. Ductaped mousetraps on cover, they went around them. Put car in converted shed, they clawed through tarp on door. There are scartches all down fenders, hood and even in the windshield. Neighbor denied until I brought her over and showed he the canvas convertable top COVERED in cat paw prints and fur. This car had flawless new BMW paint when I got 1 1/2 years ago. They clawed through clear coat and paint. Nothing I really can do- cats will be cats and she is a widow on fixed income who we love dearly and who most definitely cannot afford to repaint my car. They also clawed the crap out of my top. Sucks!!!